(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165AM-1a, C.W. Ellis OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$5,875 MS64BN 08-02-2017 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War-era store card from C.W. Ellis, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. With 4 known varieties, C.W. Ellis produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 165AM-1a) is common among the known varieties. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 4 cataloged varieties, C.W. Ellis was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165AM-1a